January 2011 Correction: Garlic Alert!

This is a correction, with apology, for an error in the “White Bean Soup with Fennel and Tomato” recipe, published in January 2011. When I looked up the recipe recently, in order to make a batch of the soup, I was shocked to see that I had listed 20 cloves of garlic!

Surely I meant 2, but when I made it last week, I settled on 6, which worked, but probably anything between 2 and 6 would be fine, depending on how much you want to spice up this otherwise mild mix.

Leek and Chickpea Minestrone

Leek and Chickpea Minestrone is a variation on the usual Italian comfort food. It has its own distinctive flavor so that even if Minestrone sounds banal, this is worth a try. In addition, it is easy to make.

As I do not eat wheat, the options instead of orzo were rice or wheat-free pasta. I threw in about 1/2 cup brown rice Caserecce, but rice based Fusilli would also have worked in place of the orzo. I used canned, drained and rinsed chick- peas. As always with Italian soups, grated Parmesan is a welcome addition, or a teaspoon of pesto in each bowl would add complexity to the flavor.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 good size leeks, white and green parts, sliced and washed

2 Tbsp chopped garlic

2 tomatoes, chopped

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cups chickpeas (these do not have to be drained and rinsed unless you wish to eliminate any residual salt)

2 tsp rosemary

2 Tbsp basil

1 tsp oregano

2 Tbsp parsley

6 cups chicken stock

½ cup orzo (or brown rice pasta)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in soup pot.
2. Add garlic and drained leeks. Cook until leeks are wilted.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, basil, oregano, and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in chickpeas and stock. Season with pepper and salt to taste.
5. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente.

Mushroom Barley with Beef Broth

Mushroom Barley soup has the ring of an old European dish. This is a thick and comforting winter soup, hearty enough to make a meal, even though it is meatless. It is not, however, for vegetarians as part of its flavor comes from the use of beef broth. Don’t overdo the porcini… they have a strong flavor.

One box of barley is likely to last for years as most recipes call for relatively small amounts. For this problem, the box may prove helpful, with recipes for pilaf, but barley can always be added to vegetable soups in place of rice or in addition to other starches.

If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can take one cup and puree it, which will give the rest a thicker appearance.

Ingredients                                                   

1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped

½ cup pearl barley

6 cups beef broth

2 Tbsp dry sherry

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp wine vinegar

Directions

1. Soak dried mushrooms in 1 cup warm water.
2. Heat oil and butter in soup pot.
3. Cook onions, carrots, and garlic until onions are wilted.
4. Add fresh mushrooms and cook stirring for 10 minutes.
5. Increase heat and add barley. Cook until it begins to take on color.
6. Add broth, soy sauce, and sherry.
7. Strain liquid from porcini mushrooms. Chop mushrooms and add to pot along with strained liquid.
8. Cook on low heat until barley is tender, about 40 minutes.
9. Add vinegar.